2016

Fireworks continue Monday night weather permitting with the Cannon County Fireworks Celebration taking place starting at 4:00 at the Dillon Park in Woodbury.  There will be children’s events with bouncy houses and games available.  Vendors will be selling concessions.  There will be music throughout the afternoon and evening and the Fireworks will begin at dark weather permitting.  The event is free however you are asked to bring a canned food item to be given to the Cannon County Food Bank
 Event financed by the Town of Woodbury, City of Auburntown and Cannon County, event sponsored by The American Legion Post 279.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) invites Tennesseans to take a seat in the director’s chair and create a short video to draw awareness to the importance of fire safety. Through its inaugural Fire Prevention Video Contest, they hope to reach residents of all ages with life-saving messages using two new jingles that emphasize the necessity of smoke alarms and the major role a closed door can play in reducing fire damage.
“The Tennessee fire service has made extraordinary efforts in lowering our state’s fire mortality rate, but we need to find new, innovative approaches to keep up the momentum and promote fire prevention education,” said State Fire Marshal and Commerce & Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “We are challenging Tennesseans to use their creativity to produce a video that can help convey crucial fire safety messages to their fellow citizens in an exciting and effective way.”
The contest kicked off Friday and features prizes donated by Kidde that include a $500 check, a Kidde RemoteLync Home Monitoring Device, and a Kidde RemoteLync Wi-Fi Camera.
Contest participants are asked to create a one-minute video that illustrates the themes found in one or both of the SFMO’s new fire safety jingles
The contest is open to Tennessee residents of all ages, however participants 18 years and younger must submit written parental approval. Both individuals and groups (including fire departments) are eligible to submit entries. The videos must explore the fire safety topics featured in the jingles, be well researched, not demonstrate risky or unsafe behavior, and be both educational and entertaining.
Entries must be submitted by Sept. 30, 2016 to be considered for prizes. Winners will be announced the week of October 9th in conjunction with National Fire Prevention Week.

July 4—Board of Education Central Office will be closed.
 
July 7—Principals’ meeting at Central Office, 8:30 a.m.
              Collaborative Conferencing Committee meets, 6:00 p.m., Central Office
 
July 11-21—Camp Read to Be Ready, WGS, 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
 
July 12—Board of Education meeting workshop, 6:30 p.m., Central Office Boardroom
 
July 14—READ Conference—White Co. High School, 8:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m.
                School Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m., WGS Cafeteria
 
July 31—We Care Cannon distribution at WGS
 
August 2—Teacher in-service
 
Summer Feeding Schedule (Meals will be served at Woodbury Grammar Cafeteria):
July 11-14—Monday through Thursday
July 18-21—Monday through Thursday
8:00 a.m.-8:30 a.m. Breakfast
11:30 a.m.-12:00 noon Lunch
Free to all students 18 and under
 
Cannon County School System is currently looking for applicants for the following positions:
 
Auburn 5th -8th grade ELA teacher
CCHS Agriculture Ed. teacher
CCHS Credit Recovery teacher
CCHS Spanish teacher
CCHS Special Ed. Assistant
CCHS Receptionist
Short Mountain Special Ed. Teacher
System-wide Maintenance Worker
System-wide Lead School Nurse
West Side 7th-8th grade ELA teacher
WGS Special Ed. Assistant
WGS 6th grade ELA teacher
WGS Kindergarten teacher
WGS Title I teacher
Woodland 6th grade teacher
Woodland Custodian
 

MTSU will be closed Monday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. All business offices will be closed and no classes will be held that day. Classes scheduled for Saturday, July 2, will be held, officials in the Office of Academic Affairs said.
 
Offices will reopen at 8 a.m. and all summer session classes will resume at their normal times Tuesday, July 5, following the holiday break.
 
Fourth of July weekend hours of operation for specific MTSU buildings and venues include:
 
• Student Union: closed July 2-4.
 
• James E. Walker Library: open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 2 and from 2 to 10 p.m. July 3; for complete schedule, visit http://library.mtsu.edu/hours.php.
 
• Campus Recreation Center: closed July 2-4.
 
• ARAMARK/MT Dining’s Student Union Provisions on Demand: open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 2-3 (south entrance will be open). For all dining options, visit http://mtsu.campusdish.com.
 

 The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office issues a simple, yet significant message for Tennesseans this Fourth of July: Let the pros handle the fireworks.
With numerous professional displays scheduled for the Fourth including one of the nation’s largest in Nashville, there’s no shortage of festive and colorful fireworks to enjoy in Tennessee. State fire officials urge Tennesseans to take part in these professionally run events instead of risking their lives and possibly breaking the law by detonating fireworks themselves.
“The Fourth of July is a wonderful time to gather with family and friends,” said State Fire Marshal and Commerce & Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “We encourage Tennesseans to enjoy the holiday at a public display presented by trained professionals, where compliance with state-of-the-art fire codes offers a safer way to celebrate our nation’s independence.”
Each July 4th, thousands of people, most often children and teens, are injured while using consumer fireworks according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). In addition to injuries, fireworks can devastate homes and property. From 2011- 2015, Tennessee fire departments responded to 644 fires that were caused by fireworks which resulted in $1.6 million in property damage according to the Tennessee Fire Incident Reporting System.  
Shooting fireworks at home requires that consumers learn their local fireworks laws. Tennessee’s counties and most of its cities have ordinances and restrictions regarding fireworks usage. Before detonating any firework, the State Fire Marshal’s Office urges residents to check with local police and fire department to determine the local laws about fireworks.
A 2007 Tennessee law prevents children under 16 from purchasing fireworks; and those who are age 16 or 17 must present a photo ID to purchase them.

State legislation passed in 2011 reclassified sky lanterns as special fireworks exclusively for use by individuals with a professional license (certified flame effect operator, certified outdoor display operator or certified proximate pyrotechnic operator). The general public cannot purchase or use sky lanterns. If a sky lantern is found in the possession of someone who does not have a professional license issued by the State Fire Marshal’s Office, the device can be confiscated and later destroyed.

A new law passed last year prohibits flying a drone (unmanned aircraft) above an outdoor ticketed event with more than 100 people, or in the vicinity of a fireworks display site, without the permission of the event operator.

If consumer fireworks are legal where you live and you decide to set them off on your own, be sure to follow these important safety tips:

    Never allow children to handle or ignite fireworks.
    Read and follow all warnings and instructions.
    Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
    Wear eye protection.
    Be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks.
    Never throw or point fireworks at people or animals.
    Only light fireworks outdoors on a smooth, flat surface away from homes, dry leaves and flammable materials.
    Never try to relight fireworks that have not fully functioned.
    Keep a bucket of water and a garden hose nearby in case of a malfunction or fire.
    Sparklers are not toys and cause hundreds of injuries every year. Sparklers burn hot, can reach temperatures as high as 1,200° F, and stay hot long after they’ve burned out. You wouldn’t hand a matchbook or lighter to a child to wave or play with – so, don’t give a child a sparkler.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency participated in the eighth annual Operation Dry Water weekend which has been held the weekend prior to the July 4 holiday since its inception.
Operation Dry Water is a national weekend of Boating Under the Influence (BUI) awareness and enforcement campaign directed toward reducing alcohol and drug-related accidents and fatalities. It is held at the time to give BUI enforcement high visibility during the peak boating season.
Reports from the TWRA’s four regions indicated 10 boating BUI arrests across the state, the same number as recorded in 2015 during the weekend. TWRA boating officers inspected 4,078 vessels, issued 175 citations, 113 warnings, and assisted 94 boaters. There were four injury accidents and three property damage accidents reported.
TWRA officials remind all those who visit the state’s waterways for the July 4 holiday to be safe for what is annually one of the busiest boating times of the year.
TWRA officials emphasize the use of personal flotation devices (PFDs) while boating in a safe and responsible manner. The TWRA wants all those who visit the waterways to have an enjoyable time. However, TWRA officers will be on the watch for dangerous boating behavior, such as BUI operators and other reckless operation.

The Woodbury Fairgrounds will be the site of this year’s 78th Woodbury Lions Club Horse Show.  The event will get underway Saturday evening at 5:00.  This horse show has been recognized nationally and world wide for being the best One Night Horse Show in the country.  The judges for this years event is Dickie Scrivner and Jason Hughes.  They will judge 38 classifications of horses.  Walking Yearling Colts, Fillies, Amateur Riders, Mares, Geldings, Ponies, and Stallions are some of the many horses that will be on display and in competition Saturday.  Some classifications will win crystal pieces, some will win money prizes and some ribbons.  The big prize at the end will be the prestigious Riders Cup awarded to the winner of the 38th classification.  Box seats are still available by contacting Lois Larimer at 615-563-2538.  General admission tickets will be sold at the gates.  All proceeds will go to Lions Club Charities.  You can also listen to the sounds of the Horse Show with Bobby Sands the announcer Saturday evening beginning at 5:00 live on AM-1540/Shine 107.9 FM WBRY.

The Cannon County Sheriff’s Department and the Woodbury Police Department will be conducting a safety and sobriety checkpoint on Saturday on McMinnville Highway in Woodbury.  A county wide campaign will be held throughout the 4th of July holiday weekend.  
In addition to this checkpoint, officers will be taking part in saturation patrols throughout the weekend thanks to a Tennessee Highway Safety Office grant to ensure the safety of the motoring public.  Anyone who chooses to drive while being intoxicated whether it be drugs or alcohol, will be arrested.  The primary message behind this campaign is “Booze It And Lose It”
Officers will evaluate drivers for signs of alcohol or drug impairment.  Officers will target those who operate a vehicle while impaired and take corrective action for other violations observed while ensuring the protection of all motorists so everyone will be able to have a safe holiday weekend.

Road construction won’t slow motorists across Tennessee over the July 4th holiday.  The Tennessee Department of Transportation will suspend all construction-related lane closures on interstates and state routes which began at midnight and will go through 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 5th to provide maximum roadway capacity for holiday travelers.
“Tennessee’s interstates and state routes will be especially busy during the July 4th holiday,” TDOT Commissioner John Schroer said. “We will be suspending lane closures for this holiday travel period to help travelers reach their destinations safely and without unnecessary delays.”
Motorists will still encounter some long term lane closures on construction projects.  While lane closure activity will be stopped, workers may be on site in construction zones and reduced speed limits in work zones will still be in effect.  Drivers convicted of speeding through work zones where workers are present face a fine of $250 to $500, plus court fees and possible increased insurance premiums.
AAA projects nearly 43 million Americans will travel this Independence Day weekend, the highest July 4th travel volume on record, and a half million more travelers than last year. Over 36 million of them will drive. AAA estimates more than 831,000 Tennesseans will travel during the holiday, with over 744,000 driving.
From your desktop or mobile device, get the latest construction activity and live streaming SmartWay traffic cameras at www.TNSmartWay.com/Traffic. Travelers can also dial 511 from any land-line or cellular phone for travel information, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TN511 for statewide travel.
As always, drivers are reminded to use all motorist information tools wisely and Know Before You Go! by checking travel conditions before leaving for your destination.  Drivers should never tweet, text or talk on a cell phone while behind the wheel.

The Cannon County Board of Commissioners will meet in regular session Thursday June 30 at 5:00 in the courtroom of the Cannon County Courthouse.  Items on the agenda will be to approve notaries.  American Legion Post 279 will present County “Employee Of the Year Awards”.  
The Commission will look to approve continuing budget resolution.  
Appoint a new member to the Industrial Development Board.
Consider Budget Amendment requests by the Board of Education, Highway Department, County General, Solid Waste, and Debt Service/Education Debt Service.
They will also have the quarterly reports of the departments.